LAHORE - Punjab Assembly Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution lauding Pakistan Army for repulsing and striking back the Indian attack on Pakistan soil wherein Pak Air Force shot down two Indian fighter jets and captured the Indian pilot.

The House also legislated into law four bills namely the Punjab Skills Development Authority Bill 2018, the Punjab Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (Amendment) Bill 2018, the Punjab Board of Technical Education (Amendment) Bill 2018, and the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab Secretariat Employees ‎Bill 2019.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Ch Pervez Elahi, in view of the situation, suspended rules of procedure to take up the resolution to pay homage to the defenders of the country.

House passes 4 legislative bills

A joint resolution was presented by Law Minister Raja Basharat, PML-N member Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan and Provincial Minister Mian Mahmoodur Rashid which was passed unanimously. The House felicitated the Pak Army and the entire nation for successfully countering and striking back the Indian aggression. The House said the counter attack by PAF fighters, wherein it downed two Indian fighter jets and arrested one Indian pilot, raised the head of every Pakistan high. “Pakistan has always advocated peace in the region but the Indian war hysteria forced the Pak Army to defend the motherland and pay back to the Indian aggression,” the resolution added.

The House called upon the government of Pakistan to mobilise the international opinion against the tendency of Modi government of jeopardising peace of the entire world for the sake of winning election in his country.

Minority member Mahindar Pal Singh challenging India told the House that if the enemy cast evil eye on Pakistan its eyes will be pulled out of sockets. He said minorities in India are not saved at the hand of Modi government and added, Pakistan is the land of Sikh spiritual leader Baba Guru Nanak Sahib and the Sikh community will stand shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan Army in case of India attack on Pakistan.

During the legislation process, the treasury rejected all proposals of the opposition on the bills. The PML-N member Warris Kallu opposed constitution of the authorities on the skills development arguing the PTI had not been favouring such authorities in the past. He said already an authority existed for this area, as such a supra one will be redundant. Amza Bokhari of the PML-N voiced for giving chairmanship role to any member instead of bureaucrat in the Board for Technical Education as a matter of empowering the legislators. Another N MPA Khalil Tahir Sindhu wanted the bill on Technical Education back to the regular standing committee as the same was tabled before one during the last government which was constituted on emergency basis with limited powers.

Law Minister Raja Basharat addressed the opposition reservations and the House rejected their proposals.

The House also took up questions on Housing and Urban Development Department. On completion of the items on the agenda, the session was adjourned till 11am today (Thursday).